Shocking Revelation Hinders 90% of SMEs from Scaling: An Insider's Perspective
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Devica Joshi, an AI and Digital Marketing Expert, and Founder of Digitise My Brand.
Devica shared startling insights from her interactions with numerous small and medium enterprises (SMEs), revealing a shocking oversight: 90% of these businesses lack an essential growth driver—a data-driven, automated website.
What's more astonishing, many don't fully grasp the true power of such a platform. Joshi offers a compelling analogy. "Imagine walking into a fragrance-filled bakery, with tempting exquisite desserts only to find there's no counter to place your order," she says.
According to a study by Small Business Trends, cited in Forbes, 70% of SME websites are in this perplexing predicament- without a clear call-to-action on their homepage, they leave visitors directionless.
The prevalent mindset sees websites as merely digital brochures. However, Devica firmly believes that in this era of digitalisation, a website should be an automated, multifunctional platform that supercharges every business function.
Here’s how she explains the potential impact on various departments:
Human Resources: "Data-driven websites can automate recruitment, performance tracking, training facilitation, and internal communications, enhancing HR efficiency."
Sales: "Intelligent websites can manage customer relationships, track interactions, predict behaviours, and provide insights into sales trends."
Marketing: "A website isn't just a tool, it's a marketer's gold mine. It can track user behaviour, segment audiences, refine marketing strategies, and improve customer engagement."
Purchasing and Inventory Management: "Websites can track inventory levels, predict future needs, automate purchase orders, optimise stock levels, and manage supplier relationships."
According to Devica, investing in a data-driven, automated website isn't just about embracing digital transformation; it's about fuelling business growth. Tech giants like Amazon, Netflix, and Alibaba realised this more than a decade ago, transforming their operations and securing a competitive edge.
SMEs, in contrast, are curbing their growth by overlooking their websites' potential. Devica notes that while survival without digitalisation is possible, scaling is not. Manual processes can sustain a business, but they lack the efficiency, agility, and scalability automation offers.
Devica advises SMEs to reassess their digital strategies and embrace data-driven, automated websites.
The opportunity is right here, right now. By harnessing data and automation, SMEs can boost their operational efficiency, gain invaluable insights, and scale their businesses to unprecedented levels.
In this era of data and digitalisation, having a website is not enough—it's about its intelligent use. As Devica reminds us, "Your website is not a cost - it's an investment, an investment in a smarter, scalable, and successful future." It's high time SMEs take this advice and start scaling.
About Devica Joshi
A seasoned professional in the field of B2B sales and marketing, Devica Joshi has made her mark working with some of the world's most notable brands. With an impressive portfolio spanning over nine years, Joshi's expertise in closely working with big brands and upcoming brands alike forms the cornerstone of her AI-led digital marketing agency, Digitise My Brand. Her innovative strategies and industry foresight have not only set her apart but also led to the establishment of her venture.